Safety razor



N. P. BILLING June 15, 1943.

SAFETY RAZOR Filed Jan. 25, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 15, 1943. N; P. BILLING SAFETY RAZOR Filed Jan. 25, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I I W Patented June 15, 1943 SAFETY RAZOR Noel Pemloerton Billing, Kingston-on-Thame England Application January 25, 1941, Serial No. 375,966 In Great Britain January 26, 1940 2 Claims.

, This invention consists in improvements in or relating to safety razors of the type primarily intended for use with double-edged flexible blades, although it is not necessarily limited in this respect.

Hitherto, razor frames for use with such blades have been so constructed that in order to remove the blade it is necessary to dismantle certain portions of the frame, and one object of the present invention is to avoid this necessity and to provide a structure in which removal of an old blade and replacement of a new one is facilitated.

The present invention comprises in combination a blade-receiving frame having an outer blade-retaining member, and a pressure member movable towards and away from the blade-retaining member for the purposes respectively of gripping the blade between the two members and of releasing it therefrom.

The blade-retaining member may either be rigid in the frame or it may be hingedly mounted therein in one or more portions.

The frame is preferably formed with a handle and associated with the handle is an element connected with the pressure member by which the latter can be moved against the pressure of the resilient means in order to separate the pressure member from the blade-retaining member toenable the blade to be easily removed.

In a preferred example, the blade is held between two clamping members by which it is slightly curved, and means is provided for adjusting the approach of the two clamping members to adjustable degrees in order to adjust the degree of curvature applied to the blades.

Some preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described with the aid of the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the razor frame in one form;

- Figure 2 is a side view looking from the right of Figure l;

Figure 3 is a section on the line 33 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing the frame opened for removal or insertion of a blade;

Figure 6 is a View similar to Figure '1 but in central section of a modification of the invention;

Figure 7 is a view of the upper part of the frame looking from the right of Figure 6, and

Figure 8 is a plan view of a razor blade.

Like reference numerals indicate like parts in the several figures of the drawings.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 to 5, what has been referred to in the foregoing as the outer blade-retaining member or clamping member comprises a sleeve I8 having at its outer or upper end a transverse frame member II rigid with the sleeve Ill. Pivotally secured at each end by pivot pins I2 received in opposite ends of the member II is a clamping member comprising a curved plate I3 and two side ears I4 through which at their lower ends pass the pivot pins I2. In its working position the outer clamping member proper which comprises plate I3 and ears I4 is located in that position by pins I5 extending laterally from each end of the member II and slots I6 formed in the lower edges of ears I l to engage over the pins I5. Thus, when the outer clamping member requires to be swung from the full-line position in Figure 5 to the chain-line or working position, it is arrested in the latter position by pins l5 and slots I6.

The pressure member comprises a tube or rod I'I carrying at its end a pressure plate I8 from the upper surface of which extend locating pins I9 which pass through holes normally provided in razor blades of the type contemplated and finally are received in apertures 20 .in the part I3. The extremities of pressure plate I8 are provided with pointed parts 2| in order to press against the blade 22 near each end and along the centre line.

The rod or tube II is normally urged by means of a compression spring I la so as to force the pressure plate I8 outwardly towards the cooperating clamping member I3, and thus to grip the blade 22 between those two members. The spring is housed within the sleeve II) in the same manner as the spring 43 in the construction shown in Figure 6. I

At its lower extremity the tube or rod I'I terminates in a rod 23 of lesser diameter and this part slides through anorifice of appropriate dimensions in what is otherwise a closure wall 24 for the lower end of sleeve Ill. Rod 23 is secured to an enlarged extremity 25 which can be readily gripped by hand and by which rod or tube II can be pulled outwardly against the pressure of the spring already referred to in order to free the outer clamping member [3 and allow it to be swung about its pivots I2.

Freely. rotatable on rod 23 is a spacing washer 26 by which the approach of the plate I8 towards the member I3 can be adjusted. On the lower surface of washer 26 is a stud 2! (see Figures 4 and which can engage or be engaged in either one of two or more recesses such as 28 and 29 formed in the edge of the enlargement 25 which faces towards the washer. The recesses are shown in Figures 1 and 3. Each of the recesses such as 28 and 29 are of different depths so that the stud 21 can sink into the recesses to different depths according to the recess selected for it. In consequence, the approach of the two clamping members towards one another can be regulated and therefore the curvature of the blade will be adjusted to suit requirements of the user.

A flattened surface 30 on the side of washer 26 is conveniently engraved with an arrow 3| which is radially in line with stud 21 and affords a means of setting the stud relatively to the recess such as 28 or 29 which is selected by the user.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 6 and '7 the element I3 is replaced by elements 40 and M which are chamfered where they meet so that when closed together, as shown in Figure 7 a smooth and, to all intents and purposes, unbroken upper curved surface is provided. The parts Ml and M. are formed integral at each end with cranked portions 42 hingedly connected together andtoplate H by pivot pins I2.

Rod l11is shown as surrounded by a compressionspring 43 near its upper end, the lower edge of this spring being received in a recess in the upper end of. sleeve I'D.

Thelower end of sleeve [0 is formed with a diametrally disposed wedge-like projection 44 which is accommodated in a correspondingly shaped recess. formed in the gripping member 25 which is secured to the lower extremity of rod ll. Thus, in the position, shown in Figure 6, the clamping members are closed together by spring presssure and when blade 22 is to be clamped between them the parts 66 and ii will be in the position shown in Figure '7 and will be retained in thatposition by pins. I9 on plate IB- entering registering orifices in the charnferedoverlapping portions of the parts 461 and ii When the clamping members have been separatedapart to clear projection 4-4 free of the slot in member 25 the latter can begiven a partial turn so that the upper walls of its slot are transverse to the length cfiandwillrest. against the outer edge of projection-44. Themember 25 has swivel connection with rod l1. permitting the necessary movementv of member 25 for this purpose.

In Figure 8 there is shown a form of blade especially suitable for use with. a razor blade frame according to this invention. In this blade a central line of perforations 50 of comparatively, minute dimensions, in addition to the usual 10,- cating orifices such as 51 normally provided in blades of this type, is formed lengthwise centrally of the blade. These minute perforations permit the blade to yield readily to take up its bestposition having regard to the relative adjustment of the clampingmember. More .particularly, the formation of the points 2| assists inbendingthe blade along the line of these perforations.

Safety razor blades of this type are formed with perforations such as 5| as shown or other centrally arranged perforations or even longitudinal slits of other form. Whether perforations or slits are normally provided as being necessary or othewise desirable it is a part of the present invention to provide the additional minute perforations 50 along the central line as described.

While the oints 2! may be so spaced as to engage the surface of a blade they may, alternatively, be set at a distance apart sufficient to engage within locating notches 52 formed in the ends of the blade, these locating notches constituting another feature of the invention. They serve to locate the cutting edge or edges of the blade in correct position relatively to the corresponding edges of the clamping member even when the locating projections 19 do not con stitute a close fit within the apertures provided normally in the blade.

The above descriptions include the essential features of the present invention and details of the'latter may besubject to many modifications. For example, mechanical clamping means may replace the spring pressure clamping means described.

Instead of' or in addition to locatingnotches such as 52, corner notehes 53 may provided for the same purpose.

It will be appreciated that in a safety razorframe constructed as described and illustrated herein, the pressure members, unlike all other safety razor frames of this class, are at all times urged towards one another by spring pressure instead of by means of a screwedinterconnection. Although this is the preferred form of the invention it is within; the scope-of the latter however to employ a screwed interconnection.

I claim:

1. A safety razor comprising a blade receiving frame having an outer blade-retaining member, and a pressure membermovable. towards and away from the blade retaining member, a handle on the frame perpendicular to the blade retaining member, meansfor forcing thepressure member towards-the blade retaining member, a rod; secured to, the pressure member and extendingthroughthehandle and having an enlarged portion beyond the end of the handle, a collar between the handleand the enlarged portion of the rod and rotatable about the rod, the

collarand the enlarged portion of the rod having on opposed faces cooperating a-butments and.

grooves of Varying, depths whereby rotation of the collar will. vary the distance between the blade retaining and; pressure members.

2. A safetyrazor frame comprising two cooperating pressure members between which the blade is gripped, said member having coaxial stems, a spring surrounding one stem and'ene closed by the; otherstem for holding the pressure members together, and an adjustable separator carried by one of the stems for regulatingv the distance between the. pressure members.

NOEL BEMBERTON BILLIN 

